Coming Back
by Suki-Alanna
Summary: An AU about Luna where her mother didn't die, so she isn't as flighty. There are other changes as well; Hermione is a pureblood struggling with her feelings for Ron Weasley, and the war with Voldemort never happened.
1. Some Things Change

"Why would _I_ care, Ronald?" Hermione Granger's voice reached my ears. I sighed and pulled my knit cap lower over my ears. The pair was always fighting, and I had learned not to pay attention to it.

"Maybe you should pay a bit more attention!" Ron shouted back.

"Please stop fighting," I told them.

Hermione stuck her nose in the air and stalked off. "I can't stand that girl." Ron glared at the retreating girl.

I just turned around and walked towards my next class, Muggle Studies. Ron followed me, though he wasn't in the class.

"What are you, lost?" Ginny asked her brother when she came up to walk next to me.

He scowled and turned around, allowing us to proceed to class. When we got there Hermione moved over, allowing us to sit next to each other. She had joined the class late, so she was with our year.

"My brother is the biggest git," Ginny said, her voice still angry.

Hermione nodded. "I know," she said. "It's because he hangs out with that Harry Potter."

"Admittedly," I said, "he is dreamy."

"Look at little Luna," Ginny laughed. "Looking at boys. Oh, how we have corrupted her."

"Ladies, please stop talking," the professor said.

I looked down at my notebook, but I wasn't really listening. I was thinking about the world. My mum, at work in her laboratory, Ginny, madly in love with Harry Potter, despite the fact she pretended to love him, Hermione, a haughty pureblood with a crush on Ron Weasley… things were strange, yet completely simple.

I glanced over at Ginny, who was writing 'Harry' in her notebook before crossing it off. She was staring into space and didn't even seem to notice what her hand was doing.

_Just ask him out_, I passed the note to her.

**What? **She responded.

Don't pass notes in class, was Hermione, ever the bookworm, especially in Muggle Studies.

_Harry. I know you have a crush on him._

**You're loony, Lovegood.**

_Not anymore_, I pointed out.

**That's true. No more Nargles, eh?**

_Not since I was five. Can we move on and forget the fact you knew me when I was that young?_

**So, why do you think I should date Harry?**

_For starters, you have a crush on him._

**Prove it.**

_Seen your notebook recently?_

**Shut up.**

_Exactly._

She never replied to my last note, but I didn't mind. I just started to actually listen to what the professor said, at least a little bit. In my opinion, it didn't matter what he was saying, so long as Hermione took notes. She always was boasting about knowing a ton about Muggles despite being a pureblood, so I thought that she would always be able to teach me what a car was.

Actually, now that I think about it, what _is_ a car?

Class ended and I walked out, only to run into, you guessed it, Harry Potter. Lovely, as ever.

"Okay there, Luna?" He asked me, helping me up.

"Yeah," I said, rubbing my back.

"Have you seen Ginny anywhere, by any chance?"

"Still in the classroom," I told him.

He wandered off to talk to her, and I found myself stuck between Ron and Hermione again as they fought. Some things never changed, but when I saw Harry and Ginny holding hands the next day (I was again sandwiched between Ron and Hermione) I remembered that some things did.

**This is AU, so that's why Luna isn't the normal dreamer we all know and love. In this, Hermione is a pureblood, Ron is somewhat normal, though changed by her, Voldemort never existed and Luna's mum never died, so she doesn't act like she does in the books.**

**I have this whole thing about Luna, and I think she was acting dreamy to use that persona as an armor between her and her mother's death, and after that just between her and the world. But you don't care. This was for the Alternate Universe challenge. It's really late, by the way. Almost a year. Lovely.**

Re-uploaded 6/4


	2. Just Another Day at Hogwarts

**To clarify, these oneshots are all out of order. They're just snapshots, though.**

I sat down at the Ravenclaw table, despite the fact that most of my friends were Gryffindors. I needed a break from Ginny lusting after Harry and Ron and Hermione fighting sometimes.

"Hello," a voice greeted me.

"Oh, hi, Neville," I said, looking up at him. "How are you?"

"Okay, thanks," he replied.

"I'm glad," I said, looking back at the book I was reading.

"What are you reading?" He asked.

I should have known it was coming, but I was irritable because it really was a good book. "Slytherin and the Chamber of Secrets by Tom Riddle," I said.

"That's good." He shuffled a bit. "Can I sit here?"

"Go ahead." I had already buried my nose in my book and I was long since past caring what Neville wanted or didn't want to do.

He sat down next to me and I could hear him shifting slightly. "Luna," he said.

"Yes?" I asked.

"DoyouthinkHermionewoulddateme?"

"What?" I asked.

"Do you think Hermione would date me?" He asked again, making a conscious effort to be clear.

"I don't know," I said. "I don't think she's interested in having a boyfriend."

I was lying, of course. Hermione was perfectly interested in having a boyfriend if that boyfriend's name started with an 'R' and ended with an 'N.' And I'm not talking about Ren Williams here.

Admittedly, she might do out with him, too.

"Oh," Neville said sadly.

"I'm sorry," I said, patting him on the back. I put my book away and walked to the Gryffindor table, Neville trailing me like a lost puppy. If I wasn't going to get any peace, I might as well be among friends.

"Hey, Luna," Ginny smiled when she saw me.

"Hay is for horses," I shot back.

"So old," Harry groaned. "Think of new lines, Moon."

"I will as soon as you quit Quidditch," I said, hitting him on the shoulder. "And my name isn't Moon!"

"It does—" Hermione started to say, but Ron put his hand over her mouth.

"Please, spare us the lecture," he told her, removing his hand.

"Thanks," Ginny smiled at her brother. "I would hate to have to hit my friend."

I nodded sagely. "And I would hate to have to hit anyone."

Harry ruffled my hair. "Just leave the hitting to Firecracker over here."

"Oi!" Ginny said, sounding remarkably like Ron. Then she hit Harry.

"You're proving his point, you know," I said, taking a bite of my sandwich.

"Honestly, Ronald!" Hermione exclaimed. "How are you not fat?"

I glanced over at them, but it just seemed like normal Hermione grumbling so I ignored it. At least, until I saw Ron's plate. "Wow," I said.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me," Ginny said.

"Are you a man or a pig?" Harry asked, clapping Ron on the shoulder.

"Neither," Ginny said.

"It's almost time for class," I interrupted them.

"Goody two-shoes," Harry laughed.

I rolled my eyes. "Come on, Ginny. Double potions with the Slytherins."

She followed me, looking disgusted. "Bye, you guys."

"Bye," Harry said, Ron and Hermione already too caught up in another argument to notice we were gone.

"Just another day at Hogwarts," I told Ginny.


End file.
